Empowering communities in our backyard.
No one experiences our generation assets like the people who live, work, and learn with our hydro stations and wind farms in their backyards.
We value the communities that surround our generation assets and it’s important to us that they feel included as part of our Meridian whānau. For the past 15 years, we’ve been proud to work with and empower community groups and projects through our Power Up Community Fund. And each year, we continue to put our support where it’s needed with the help of our local Power Up panels.
If you live in a community near one of our generation assets then you can apply for funding. Your application must meet the Power Up Community Fund objectives and selection criteria below.
Looking for funding but don't live near our generation assets? Our Decarbonisation Fund is available nationwide for projects that reduce carbon emissions.
Your project must meet at least one of following:
Your proposal must clearly outline what the outcomes and benefits of your project will be, and how your project will:
Power Up Te Uku provides grants for projects in Raglan, Te Mata, Waitetuna and Te Uku that support sustainable community development.
Power Up Ruakākā is our newest community fund, providing grants for projects in the communities closest to Ruakāka that support sustainable community development.
Power Up Te Āpiti provides grants for projects in Ashhurst and Woodville that support sustainable community development.
Power Up Harapaki provides grants for projects in the communities closest to Harapaki wind farm that support sustainable community development.
Power Up West Wind provides grants for projects in Mākara, South Mākara, Mākara Beach and Takarau Gorge that support sustainable community development.
Power Up Mill Creek provides grants for projects in Ohariu Valley and North Mākara that support sustainable community development.
Power Up Waitaki provides grants for projects from Aoraki Mount Cook to Waitaki Bridge that support sustainable community development. This includes Twizel, Omarama, Otematata, Kurow, Hakataramea, Duntroon, Ikawai, Papakaio and Glenavy.
Power Up White Hill provides grants for projects in Mossburn, Dipton and Lumsden that support sustainable community development.
Power Up Manapōuri provides grants for projects in Te Anau, Manapōuri, Clifden and Tuatapere that support sustainable community development.
There are two things you need to know about Kurow. One – the birthplace of Richie McCaw is in Otago, not Canterbury. And two – the landscape is rugged.
Built in 2003 and capable of producing up to 91megawatts of electricity, New Zealand’s first wind farm, Te Āpiti, can deliver enough power for around 30,000 Kiwi homes.
A targeted investment from Meridian’s Power Up fund is having a dramatic effect in Fiordland, reports Steve Deane.
Southland’s Te Anau is the gateway to some of the best rock climbing in the world – but the town’s locals seldom took up the challenge. Thanks to a group of passionate residents and support from Meridian’s Power Up fund, that has changed, reports Steve Deane.
Funding generated by Meridian Energy’s West Wind and Mill Creek wind farms is backing local efforts to restore and improve the biodiversity of the Mākara and Ōhāriu valleys.
Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube…. and Meridian Energy’s decarbonisation tracker. It’s not hard to spot the odd one out in that list of apps competing for our daily attention.